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Sunil Narine, known for his explosive hitting in the Kolkata Knight Riders lineup, found himself in an awkward spot during the game against Punjab Kings on Tuesday.
Just as he was about to walk out to bat, the reserve umpire checked his bat and found that it didn’t meet the standard size regulations. The bat exceeded the limits, and Narine had to replace it on the spot.
Unexpected Turn Before Taking the Field
The bat check was part of a recent IPL initiative aimed at maintaining fairness by inspecting player equipment randomly during matches. Narine had a brief exchange with umpire Saiyed Khalid, who informed him that the bat crossed the allowed size dimensions.
A video of the moment surfaced online and quickly triggered debate. Fans questioned whether Narine had been getting an extra edge in earlier games due to the oversized bat.
Glad Narine is getting pulled up at least while batting. pic.twitter.com/GziclyTc1x
— Sunil (@Hitting_Middle) April 16, 2025
Anrich Nortje, who came in to bat later in the same match, also faced a similar situation. His bat did not pass the size test either. He was informed about the breach and was asked to switch to another bat before heading to the pitch.
What the Rules Say
As per the BCCI’s rules, the width of the bat face must not go beyond 10.79 cm. The thickness of the blade must stay under 6.7 cm, and the edge should not be thicker than 4 cm. The bat length has to be within 96.4 cm.
Random bat checks have been part of IPL protocol since earlier seasons, but this year, enforcement has become more visible. In recent games, officials have been conducting these checks in full view of the cameras near the boundary ropes.
Similar inspections were seen during the Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match and in the Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians fixture.
Other KKR Batsman Clears Inspection
Angkrish Raghuvanshi, another KKR player present during Narine’s inspection, had his bat checked as well. His bat met all the regulations, and he was cleared without issue.
Despite the smooth resolution, the incident around Narine’s bat raised eyebrows. Some viewers wondered if his powerful performances had any connection to a non-compliant bat.
With the league’s focus sharpening on equipment compliance, such moments may become more common through the rest of the season.
ALSO READ: PBKS vs KKR, IPL 2025: Watch – Ramandeep Singh’s Brilliant Catch Gets Shreyas Iyer Out For Duck
